Avoid 7 Unhealthy Habits in the Fasting Month

In the fasting month, there are some unhealthy habits that we often do without knowing. This habit can eliminate the benefits of fasting, you know. What are these habits? Let's look at the following article. Fasting in the month of Ramadan is a Muslim worship that lasts for 28-30 days. This worship is done by holding hunger, thirst, and lust, from before sunrise to sunset. From the health side, fasting can bring several benefits. The benefits of fasting include helping to lose weight, slowing down aging, and reducing the risk of heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, and cancer. Some studies also mention that fasting is beneficial for brain and mental health. Fasting is thought to help fight degenerative diseases that attack the brain, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

Unhealthy Habits during Fasting

When fasting, there are unhealthy habits that, if we do, can actually interfere with health. The following are 7 habits in the fasting month that should be avoided:

1. Skip the meal

Eating dawn is usually done around 3-4 in the morning, so that makes you have to get up earlier than usual. Feeling sleepy and lazy to wake up in the morning often makes eating a meal. If you miss the meal, fasting time will be longer. This can make the reserves of nutrition and energy not enough until the time of breaking. As a result, dehydration, weakness, lack of blood sugar, and headaches occur.

2. Sleep after eating the meal

Getting back to sleep immediately after dawn is a very common habit. Be careful, this habit can cause health problems. Sleeping right after eating can cause indigestion. One of them is gastric acid disease (GERD), which is the increase of stomach acid into the esophagus, with symptoms such as heartburn and heartburn.

3. Sleep all day

During the fasting month, the sleep cycle generally changes. Most people have a habit of reducing sleep time at night and more sleep during the day. Some even choose to sleep all day to avoid hunger. This habit can actually make the body limp. Fasting is not a reason to be lazy. While waiting for the time to break the fast, you can do light exercise, such as relaxing walking or yoga. That way, your body will stay fresh.

4. Consuming excessive caffeinated drinks

Caffeine is known to have a diuretic effect, which makes the body urinate more frequently. Besides being easily thirsty, this effect can trigger dehydration. In addition, caffeine can also increase stomach acid production and irritate the stomach wall. Examples of drinks that contain caffeine are tea, coffee, chocolate, and soft drinks. Avoid consuming these drinks during the fasting month. When fasting, it is advisable to consume as much as 8 glasses of water a day, which is divided at dawn and breaking fast, to avoid dehydration.

5. Overeating when breaking the fast

When breaking the fast is the most awaited time. Not a few people who have the habit of directly eating large meals. This habit should be avoided because it will increase the work of the stomach suddenly, resulting in complaints of flatulence and feeling weak after eating. In addition, overeating also causes weight gain.

6. Eating fried foods and sweet snacks when breaking the fast

Fried foods and sweet snacks are typical takjil menus. If consumed too much and too often, this food will make the body weak, hungry again quickly, and gain weight. If you want to eat sweet foods when breaking the fast, it's better to eat fruits because they contain fiber. Fibrous food is digested more slowly, so that it can make you full longer.

7. Sahur and breaking the fast with junk food

Junk food is synonymous with fast food, which is high in calories, fat, and sugar. For practical reasons, many people prefer to eat fast food, such as instant noodles and fried foods, at dawn and iftar. Though this type of food does not provide enough nutrition and energy to fast. In addition, too often consuming junk food can also increase the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. Conducting unhealthy habits during fasting can eliminate the benefits of this worship. Not healthy is obtained, but even disease. The most important principles for staying healthy during fasting are maintaining portion and food intake, meeting your fluid needs, and doing light exercise regularly. If you have certain diseases or medical conditions, don't hesitate to consult with your doctor before fasting.